Refractive errors in children born before 32 weeks gestation.
OBJECTIVE
To document the refractive errors in a cohort of children born before 32 weeks gestation.


METHODS
All children born before 32 weeks gestation between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 1991 to mothers resident in the Northern Region of the National Health Service were examined at 2 years old (n = 558).


RESULTS
Stage 3 or worse retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) was associated with myopia. In those not developing stage 3 or worse ROP, the refractive errors were myopia in 1.5%, hypermetropia > 4 dioptres (D) in 5.4%, anisometropia > 1 D in 1.1% and astigmatism > 1.25 D in 5.7%.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of refractive errors in those not developing stage 3 or worse ROP was similar to that in the general population.
Pennefather
P M
PM
Department of Ophthalmology, St Paul's Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, UK.
Tin
W
W
Strong
N P
NP
Clarke
M P
MP
Dutton
J
J
Cottrell
D G
DG
D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000150:complications